New Editorial up: What Lordi Winning Eurovision Really Means

[Sumeet]

I will disagree.

(edit: Eighty thousand people showed up for the Lordi show yesterday, not the two hundred thousand number some people were throwing around)

And remember none of these people (or at least not enough to make a difference in voting) voted for Lordi in the Eurovision contest. You can't vote for the country you're currently in.

Some Eurovision stats from its website:

"This year, the number of viewers for the Semi Final were 35% higher than in 2005 and for the Final, were up by 28%."

So all those estimates of "one hundred million viewers" based on past years? Hah. We're around 128,000,000 viewers, really.

"In France, average market shares reached 30.3%, up by 8% over last year's figure. Other countries that showed a rise in average market shares, include Germany with 38.7% (up from 29.8%), UK with 37.5% (up from 36.9%), Spain with 36% (up from 35.5%), Ireland with 58.3 % (up from 35.3%) and Sweden, which reached over 80% compared to 57.8% in 2005."

In Sweden 80% of all televisions in use (and who knows how they measure this these days) during the time Eurovision was on, were turned to Eurovision.

But Sweden had a large increase, and they gave 12 points to Finland. Ireland gave 12 to Lithuania and 10 to Finland (heavy "protest" vote there, interesting.) Spain gave Finland 10. UK gave Finland 12 and Lithuania 10 (again...). Germany gave Finland 10. France gave 8.

So all of the places they mentioned as having significantly greater interest voted for Lordi in their top three places, the most heavy increases giving the full 12 points to Lordi.

As interest in "heavy metal" rises, the industry behind heavy metal is going to fall all over themselves to make it more accessible to every single person on Earth. This doesn't simply mean MTV exposure, better distribution to stores, and the like. It does mean some people are going to get very famous and very rich.

It does mean people picking up a guitar and noodling around can see such fame and fortune as a possible outcome for them.

So what are they going to decide to play? Music that means something? Or music that will facilitate their fame and fortune?

Yeah, there will still be genuine bands out that that become successful. You know. Well, wildly successful by the standards of anyone in the heavy metal community in the 90s (or even right now, not too many million sellers hanging around heavy metal, are there?). But most of the bands becoming successful under the banner of "heavy metal" will be the equivalent of the most painted and boring of the 80s glam scene.

There will be the bands that bitch and complain. (like Flotsam and Jetsam complaining in a magazine interview in the 80s that their record label needs to do more for them because they'd sold a pitiful 150,000 copies of their album). You'll have the large magazine asking ridiculous questions to bands that aren't (currently) geared towards mass acceptance (see bands like Kreator and Sepultura in the 80s having their success compared to Metallica's).

We'll probably have our new versions of "SPECIAL REPORT: Why is concert security so dangerous to headbangers?"

And a number of them will reach a certain popularity with their anti-commercial stance and their cool music, and decide they want more, and change for the worse to be friendlier.

Now, all of this is going to be harder and heavier than the 80s equivalents. Whoever are the new generation's glame metal equivalents, they will be tons harder than the Wingers and such.

But remember, all commercial spikes and trends come to an end. If heavy metal is following the pattern of the 80s (and I think it is) as far as popularity, then the end will come quickly and decisively. A new trend (which will be musically related yet quickly distance itself from metal) will take over, and the entire heavy metal scene will collapse on itself. A few holdovers will still have careers, even more bands will shift to still seem "cool" with the new style, and most bands, with even the possibility of respectable record sales gone, will simply disappear.

Whatever heavy metal survives this, we wouldn't recognize it now. Every single thing we listen to will be "old news" and out of date for the new heavy metal underground to emerge from the ruins. It will be nastier and hostile to the old influences for awhile. No guarantees that anybody into heavy metal now will be able to stomach it. No bands that will be part of keeping that tradition alive exist yet. None of the record labels that will finance and publicize the movement exist yet. And the bands that serve as the core influences for this new future movement are probably just now releasing their first album or two, probably considered pure crap by our standards. But fuck all if anyone's going to know it until they've already gone sour and bands are talking about their "early" stuff.

A lot of words to say: Heavy metal hasn't learned a thing.

And I don't know if I'm up for all of the work it's going to take to sort through all this shit to find things I can enjoy.

So yeah, I think it's a big problem for the mass market to get hold of what they think is real "heavy metal." It won't hurt my ability to listen what I like now, but it's going to be so much more difficult to find more of that in the future. And I'm a fucking nitpick who has had a hard time of it the past few years anyway.

Somebody save this post and let's compare it to how things have gone in about ten years or so.

I think you may be overstimating the public effect of this Lordi hoopla. You're right there in Finland, and I suppose it stands to reason that there's a lot of publicity and "national pride" or whatever going on there, but really... the Finnish media would be going crazy over any Finnish act that won this contest, whether it's a supposedly-metal band that wears monster outfits or a teen pop singer. I bet the furor died down pretty quicky in the rest of Europe once the contest was over, and remember, in the US, the Eurovision contest wasn't even a minor story, even in entertainment news. Lordi winning this "contest" hardly presages a nexus between pop and "metal" such as what occurred 20 years ago.

Also, I think you're prognosticating in far too much detail. The environment today is not exactly the same as it was in the 1980's... there's no guarantee that the music industry will develop in the same way it did at that time. And even if were to happen, there were still plenty of great metal acts in the 80's, some of them even... *gasp*... selling well.

It would be interesting to revisit this conversation in 10 years and see what has transpired, but I see little evidence to support your theory of the demise of metal. There were people who were into actual "metal" in 1986, and sure, at that time, some actual metal bands were getting carried along with the wave of popularity that was driven by pop / rock hair bands. When that wave came crashing down in the early 1990's, a lot of the real metal bands took a hit right along with the ridiculous hair bands. By 1996, people from 1986 who were still real metal fans no longer had as much metal right in ther face and as easily available, but when you come down to it, there was still plenty of it available for people who were die-hard fans and were willing to look. A great many of the bands from the 80's were still around, and lots of new bands were coming along. It was just harder for many people to obtain than it was in the 80's.

Now, another 10 years have passed, and few can deny that it's much easier to get a hold of a metal release in 2006 than it was in 1996. Not only are the albums more widely distributed, and not only do bands have more touring opporunities now, but the internet has created a huge change in the way people obtain and experience music. It's also changed the position within the industry of the once-all-powerful major label... and it will never be the same again.

Seriously, I think the main reason why you are having trouble finding stuff to listen to lately is because you're simply getting more picky... because it's rather tough to make the argument that metal releases are harder to find.

As to what the status of "metal" and the music in general will be 10 years from now... I'm not so bold as to predict anything specific... but barring some civilization-destroying cataclysmic event like nuclear war or a meteor strike, I find it very hard to picture a scenario where I'm sitting around in 2016 saying "Fuck! I just can't find anything good to listen to anymore!".

 

[Jim LotFP]

I think you may be overstimating the public effect of this Lordi hoopla... Lordi winning this "contest" hardly presages a nexus between pop and "metal" such as what occurred 20 years ago.

By itself, Lordi's win doesn't herald much, but in the greater context of everything else that's happening, it just fits right in.

Maybe Lordi is just an effect, not a cause. A local sympton of a greater disease.

And that's as far as I'll compromise in my views of this being a "big deal."

We'll see how Lordi does when they tour Europe instead of just judging by their homecoming.

It would be interesting to revisit this conversation in 10 years and see what has transpired, but I see little evidence to support your theory of the demise of metal.

"Demise" is maybe too strong a word. Metal never died, it just went through a dark age where it had to rebuild an infrastructure from scratch. I don't want another dark age. It'll survive in any event though.

as easily available, but when you come down to it, there was still plenty of it available for people who were die-hard fans and were willing to look.

The dangers of easy publicity and wide distribution is that people get complacent. If they never had to look before, why would they think to "look" in the first place when they stop hearing about and seeing their preferred music in all the places they used to? The die-hards never have to worry about themselves, but I hope that people look at the big picture of a culture they profess to care about and be part of.

Not only are the albums more widely distributed, and not only do bands have more touring opporunities now, but the internet has created a huge change in the way people obtain and experience music. It's also changed the position within the industry of the once-all-powerful major label... and it will never be the same again.

Disagree on all counts here. Albums are more widely distributed because of label support and investment, and touring opportunities increase because of that as well.

The internet has changed the way people obtain and experience music, but I see no evidence that independent (as in, unsigned, self-financed, self-promoted) bands are generating a penny more for themselves than bands of the 80s did... and that's gross revenue, without even counting inflation. If my assumption is true, then the current environment is certainly no improvement for those that don't want to participate in the corporate circus.

The "once all-powerful major label" thing is naive. There will be those that know how to publicize and sell a band, and those people will want to be rewarded for their services... at first because if they can do that, they can publicize and sell full-time without regard to a "normal" job, and after that they'll still demand more and more just because they can. Whether the current major labels will prove to be the best at this into the future, who knows, but somebody will, and those somebodies will effectively be the contemporary version of today's major label.

People keep saying the terms of publicity and distribution and touring are changing, but bands on small labels still don't get the publicity, opportunities, and sales that bands on large labels do, and that will never change.

Just because the "internet" has brought about an increased fan base for heavy metal (or so people say, I disagree in the strongest terms that the internet was a cause), does not mean that it just allowed people to love a form of music they simply never knew existed. Fads and trends go back forever and ever. It doesn't matter what the method of publicizing and communicating is, fads will come, and then fads will go. That will never change either. What the internet will do is make it more convenient (as long as email is free to send and receive, and flat-fee internet service is the standard, and every online store isn't required to calculate, collect, and deliver taxes depending on the location of the buyer, mind you) for those that remain to be in contact with each other and find an audience for their music.

Seriously, I think the main reason why you are having trouble finding stuff to listen to lately is because you're simply getting more picky... because it's rather tough to make the argument that metal releases are harder to find.

It's just as possible that I am just as picky as I was before, and there is more crap out there (that would also account for all these easier-to-find things).

But if I am in fact just pickier, I wouldn't consider that a negative trait. There's got to be somebody to counter the people who aren't picky at all.

As to what the status of "metal" and the music in general will be 10 years from now... I'm not so bold as to predict anything specific... but barring some civilization-destroying cataclysmic event like nuclear war or a meteor strike, I find it very hard to picture a scenario where I'm sitting around in 2016 saying "Fuck! I just can't find anything good to listen to anymore!".

Of course not. You'll have all the classics on these archaic CD things to listen to.

 

[Jim LotFP]

Well the finnish sung metal is also doing well in the charts. Like Stam1na, Mokoma, Timo Rautiainen and Trio Niskalaukaus. Not much keyboard there.

OK, Stam1na sucks. This is... just...

Wow.

 

[DBB]

Good Lordi!

Fred Bronson Billboard June 10, 2006


Finnish Metal Act Wins Eurovision Song Contest

Finnish rock act Lordi claimed a groundbreaking victory at the 51st Eurovision Song Contest here with "Hard Rock Hallelujah," the first heavy metal song to compete -- much less win -- the prestigious annual event.

But after its triumph in Athens' 16,000-capacity Olympic Arena, a new challenge awaits Lordi: building upon its breakthrough.

Viewers in 38 countries voted for the Sony BMG Finland "monster metal" quintet whose Alice Cooper/Kiss-inspired makeup and dress has drawn comparisons to more recent acts like GWAR and Slipknot.

Sony BMG Finland managing director Kimmo Valtanen says breaking Lordi worldwide is a high priority for the label and plans are already in place to take full advantage of the ESC win.

"Our company sees the long-term potential of the band," Valtanen says. "Monster movies and cartoons sell well, so there should be no reason why we can't translate this concept into album sales. So far we have release commitments from [affiliates in] 18 countries in Europe and interest from the United States, Australia and Asia."

According to Nielsen Music Control, "Hard Rock Hallelujah" swiftly picked up airplay after the May 20 ESC win, adding stations in Ireland, Greece, Norway, Spain and Portugal to pre-win supporters in Finland, Sweden and Belgium. The song was written by the band's frontman Mr. Lordi (Tomi Putaansuu); publishing is copyright control.

Lordi has issued three albums through Sony BMG in Europe since 2003. Shipments total 120,000 units, Valtanen says, with strongest sales in Finland, Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Latest album "The Arockalypse" was released in March.

Casting a Wide Net

Final figures for the 2006 ESC are not yet available, but organizer the European Broadcasting Union estimates the event drew more than 100 million TV viewers.

"Our mantra was, 'If 100 million watch [the broadcast], 10 million like it and vote -- so 1 million could buy the record,' " Valtanen says.

However, regular Eurovision observers admit a win doesn't guarantee massive sales.

"The impact of ABBA's 1974 victory with 'Waterloo' has never been exceeded and nothing can really compare today," Stockholm-based Scandinavian Songs managing director Peo Nylen says. "But in most cases," he adds, "a winner becomes a very valuable copyright for any publisher."

Nylen cites Scandinavian Songs' 1999 winner for Sweden, "Take Me to Your Heaven," written by Lars Didriksson and Gert Lengstrand and performed by Charlotte Nilsson. "[It] has become a classic in Sweden and a steady income generator," the publisher says.

Nylen also notes that non-winners can also become international earners for publishers through performances and local cover versions around Europe, plus sales of the annual official compilation album featuring all the entrants.

"At a previous company," he adds, "I signed the song 'Once in a Lifetime' which placed fourth for Estonia in 2000, and was surprised how much income it generated."

Peer Music U.K. managing director Nigel Elderton recalls publishing Eimer Quinn's 1996 Irish Eurovision winner "The Voice" and Gina G's U.K. entry that year, "Ooh Aah . . . Just a Little Bit."

Both were strong sellers immediately before and after the ESC, he says, and a decade later, Peer is "continually licensing 'Just a Little Bit' for everything from PlayStation to TV advertising campaigns."

"The Voice" has been "on a myriad of Irish compilation albums and ad campaigns," Elderton adds. Female Irish group Celtic Woman, which has been touring the United States for the past year, also features the song in its show.

"If you have the right song," Elderton says, "you can definitely make money from Eurovision; just ask [ABBA's] Benny and Bjorn."

.

 

[DBB]

.

LORDI Hits #37 On Billboard Heatseeker Chart

Eurovision stars LORDI have appeared on Billboard's Heatseekers chart at #37 with their The Arockalypse album, which was released by The End Records on March 20th. The North American version of The Arockalypse (Special Edition), features guest appearances from Lordi fans/heavy metal superstars such as TWISTED SISTER frontman Dee Snider (who acts as the party's MC, infiltrating the radio broadcast that opens the album ('SCG3 Special Report'), Twisted Sister guitarist Jay Jay French, former KISS axeman Bruce Kulick and ACCEPT legend Udo Dirkschneider, is as follows: 'SCG3 Special Report', 'Bringing Back The Balls To Rock', 'The Deadite Girls Gone Wild', 'The Kids Who Wanna Play With The Dead', 'It Snows In Hell', 'Who's Your Daddy?', 'Hard Rock Hallelujah', 'They Only Come Out At Night', 'The Chainsaw Buffet', 'Good To Be Bad', 'The Night Of The Loving Dead', 'Supermonstars (The Anthem Of The Phantoms)', 'Would You Love A Monsterman? '06' (bonus track), 'Mr. Killjoy' (bonus track), 'EviLove' (bonus track) plus bonus DVD.

 

[DBB]

Screw it. I'll bump it yet agian...

EUROVISION PUTS FINLAND IN THE SPOTLIGHT

 

[Jim LotFP]

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/showreview.aspx?reviewID=1074

Bergman's no dummy.

 

[BenMech]

http://www.roadrunnerrecords.com/blabbermouth.net/showreview.aspx?reviewID=1074

Bergman's no dummy.

Hey, He wrote ME into one of his Infernal Combustion articles once.

Btw, Lordi's harmless. Sure, it's like Rob Zombie-level monster movie hard rock. They'll be fine for the concert stage. it's not like they're hiding a Demoniac in their closets